Sunday, March 6, 2011

Lord, Beer Me!

When I was girl growing up in church, my parents were very active in my Sunday school classes. They would help the teachers corrale kids into a circle, assist with side projects and take on 'special activities' too. I distinctly remember in my early elementary years, me and two of my gal pals performing as the special music of our evening church service. We couldn't have been older than seven. We sang a song to my grandmother on piano accompianment, and those lyrics have stuck with me to this day.

The song is a true gem and I will recount the exact verbiage below. But I think the reason it has stayed with me this many years later is because of the ad noseum practices we were forced to undergo! I ask you: how 'uncute' can singing 2nd graders be that many, many practices were required? But my Dad has a knack for bringing out the best in kids (he's an educator after all). And I can recall Him reminding us to SMILE! Have fun! Sing it like you mean it! These are all good life lessons no matter the situation; and equally true for our small evening church performance.

Tonight, my husband and I were discussing middle school memories. The angst, the dread, the torture. How does anyone avoid those horrible years? And now as parents, I'm about eleven years early in tensing my muscles to prepare and fight against any middle school ails that may beset my daughter. So, I'm brought back to the lyrics of this song I performed. What an excellent reminder for me, my daughter and us all. We have Someone to turn to no matter the problem. Someone who loves us ALL the time. Thank you Lord for your blessings, and unconditional love! And now, here are the lyrics to our second grade extravaganza:

Isn't it just like Himto want to walk with us.Just the kind of friend He isto want to laugh and talk with us.Listening to the things we sayand joining in the games we play.Caring. Sharing. That's His way!

Just like a Father understand His own.Knows what it's like to be afraid or lost or all alone.He is up above to watch and heal and help and love you,that's Him. That's Him.

You can be short, fat, red-haired or freckle-faced;dressed in a shirt with big holes & your shoes unlaced;Tall, thin with red, black or yellow skin;still He loves you. That's just Him.

He likes blue jeans, jelly beans, hot dogs and bubble gum.He doesn't care what your name is or where you're from.He is up above to watch and heal and help and love you.That's Him. That's Him.

He is up above to watch and heal and help and love you,That's Him. THAT'S HIM!

It's unamazing to me anymore when my mother is proven correct. That's commonplace. But it is still a unique experience to recall past moments growing up when she or my Dad would be mid-discipline, quoting the Bible: train up a child in the way she should go and when she is old, she will not depart from it. Same scene 25 years ago: me full of rage and resentment declaring my hatred via scowl of all they represented. Yet now, I am the unabashed supporter of teaching by repitition.

I can't exempt my daughter from the 'mean girls' of her future, or acne issues or insecurities of any kind. But I can instill in her from the earliest of ages, the deep rooted fact that the Creator of the Universe crafted her JUST SO, special for a purpose, unique among the masses. And truly, I have always suscribed to the WHY BE NORMAL philsophy! This makes sense on so many levels.

So thanks Mom and Dad. Thank you for the songs and the four times a week church services and to a limited extent, the groundings. It helped. I'm molded. And I remember...so that I can teach our daughter (in our own perhaps more strict in some areas - less strict in most, ways) about her heavenly Father who will love her always.

In the meantime, I will continue to pray for wisdom and also ask:

(I am unable to locate the mp3 or author of this song. If anyone has any clues, I would love to be able to purchase a copy and play it for our girl!)

3 comments:

I know this song! Classic Moments From The Bill Gaither Trio: Especially For Children, Vol.2 by Bill Gaither. Originally included on an album by Bill Gaither - think it was called Homecoming Kids. Grew up singing this song and have been trying like crazy to find it for my kids. Hope this helps!Kim

"La La Love You"

"Trompe Le Monde"

"Subbacultcha"

AblazeyDaisy Dos

"Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no commandment greater than these." - Mark 12:30-31

Love (Family Relationships)

1. Call my grandparents each week. (in progress)

2. Plan for a baby (started 2/22/10)

3. Have a baby (anticipated 10/30/10)

4. Read "Power of a Praying Wife" while J reads "Power of a Praying Husband"